1995 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

I BOUGHT MY 1995 SABLE IN JULY 97 WITH 30,000 MILES AND A FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY. AT 31,667 MILES THE SPEEDOMETER DIAL WOULD BUZZ AND THE NEEDLE SWING BACK AND FORTH, NOT READING PROPER SPEED. I CONTACTED A FORD DEALER, COLUMBIA FORD IN COLUMBIA, CT AND THEY REPLACED THE SPEEDOMETER HEAD IN DASH, STATING THAT FORD KNOWS THAT THE SPEEDOMETER HEADS LAST ABOUT 30,000 MILES THEN THEY DEFECT. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT FORD SENT OUT A TSB ON THE SPEEDO HEADS AND THAT NHTSA ALSO HAD REPORTS ON THE DEFECT. NOW AT 64,000 MILES THE SPEEDO HEAD AGAIN DEFECTED, BUZZING AND READING IMPROPER SPEED, VERY FRIGHTNING. I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THE ISSUE AND AFTER A WEEK OF TRYING TO GET THEM ON THE PHONE I FINALLY DID. THE SERVICE REP AT FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE I TALKED TO, DORTHIA AT EXTENSION 2703, SAID IN SO MANY WORDS THAT I AM UP THE CREEK. I THEN ASKED TO TALK TO HER SUPERVISOR, NICHOL KINGS, SHE WOULD NOT LET ME, PUT ME ON HOLD, THEN CAME BACK AND NOW AFTER I TRIED TO RESOLVE THE MATTER SHE SAID IN A FIRM VOICE, "THE MATTER IS NOW CLOSED". FORD FLAT OUT REFUSED TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, KNOWING WELL THAT THE DEFECT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. THS COST OF REPLACING THE SPEEDO HEAD IS ABOUT $500. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE SPEEDO EVERY 30,000 MILES, AND IT IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE SINCE MY WIFE USES THE CAR ALSO. I BELIEVE IT IS VERY PATHETIC THAT A CONSUMER HAS TO BE SHAFTED LIKE THIS BUYING A CAR IN GOOD FAITH, THEN BEING TOLD TOO BAD FOR YOU. FORD KNEW ABOUT THIS SAFETY DEFECT ALL ALONG. PLEASE HELP BEFORE I OR SOMEONE IN MY FAMILY GETS KILLED BEING UNABLE TO READ THEIR PROPER SPEED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *AK

THE SPEEDOMETER UNIT REQUIRED TWO REPLACEMENTS, HOWEVER STILL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY, FLUCTUATES OVER 55 MPH. *MJS

DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS PART WOULD GO WITH ONLY 39,130 MILES ON IT. COULD THE SUBFRAME REAR PLATE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS MATTER???? . *AK

WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT PROBLEMS OCCUR WITH THIS PLATE NUT. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER WENT BAD WITH ONLY 39,000 MILES ON MY CAR! *AK

I REALIZE THAT FORD HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE HEAD GASKET. I ALSO BELIEVE THEY SHOULD EXTEND THEIR WARRANTY TO COVER THE TIMING COVER GASKET AS WELL. I CALLED A NUMBER OF DEALERS. THE OVERALL IMPRESSION I GOT WAS THAT THEY ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE 3.8 LITER ENGINES WITH LEAKING TIMING COVER GASKETS. WHICH COMES FIRST? THE BLOWN HEAD GASKET OR THE FAILED TIMING COVER GASKET. ALSO THE SPEEDOMETER SEEMS TO LAST 12000-15000 MILES. IT TOOK THE DEALER 6 MONTHS TO GET THE REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THE LAST ONE THAT WENT BAD. *AK

SINCE I HAVE PURCAHSED THE CAR (IT WAS THE SHOWCASE CAR) EVERY SUMMER AS THE WEATHER GETS HOT THE CAR WITHOUT ANY WARNING WILL CUT OFF. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND ON SEVERAL OCASSIONS (TWO OF WHICH THEY KEEP THE CAR FOR A WEEK) THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM SO, THEY WERE UNABLE TO HELP ME AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I DON'T KNOW IF IT"S RELATED TO THE AIR CONDITION OR THIS GASKET PROBLEM THAT I JUST BECAME AWARE OF FROM ANOTHER CAR DEALER. ALL I KNOW IS THEAT THAT IT HAPPENS WHEN THE OUTSIDE ENVIRONMENT IS FAIRLY WARM . IT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND LUCILY I AM A CITY DRIVER AND HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT OR BEEN KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY. I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE CAR IF IT CAN BE REPAIRED. OTHERWISE I HAVE TO GET RID OF IT. ALL I HAVE BEEN TOLD IS THAT IT CAN"T BE FIXED UNLESS IT CAN BE DUPLICATED AT THE SHOP AND TO COME BACK NEXT TIME IT HAPPENS, BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS ONCE THE CAR STOPS IT MAY START RIGHT UP AGAIN IN 10 MINS. OR ONE HOUR.NR

TEMPERATURE GOES UP AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON. CONSUMER IT NOT ABLE TO DRIVE CAR. CONSUMER FEELS CAR MAY BURN UP. *AK

TIMING CHAIN FRONT COVER GASKET AND TRANSMISSION PAN SIDE COVER GASKET HAVE BOTH FAILED PREMATURELY. *ET

WHEN VEHICLE REACHES 45 MPH OR ABOVE SPEEDOMETER STARTS TO FLUCTUATE, BOUNCING BACK AND FORWARD, NOT READING THE CORRECT MILEAGE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE ALREADY. *AK *ML

SPEEDOMETER REPLACED @ 68,000 MILES, FAILED AGAIN @ 82,220. AT 30 MPH SPEEDO JUMPS TO 85 MPH, FORD CLAIMS THEY DO NOT HAVE A SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM, BUT YOUR COMPLAINT DATA BASE SHOWS OTHERWISE. FORD REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS UNLESS I INCUR THE TOTAL EXPENSE AROUND $500. - THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS YOU HAVE NO WAY TO GAUGE YOUR SPEED. I ALSO HAVE A 92 TAURUS WITH THE SAME SPEEDOMETER HEAD, AND THAT ONE HAS FAILED TWICE TOO.